V75® (jackpot): The king of the longshots' favorite V75® card
He is an expert at winning with longshots on Saturdays.
Oskar Kylin Blom has made sure he is ready for this weekend.
"The horses are starting to get in form so,of course I hope we can win again this year," says the hometown trainer.
Traditionally, Gävle Racetrack hosts the V75® card that works as the dress rehearsal for the big trot fest at Solvalla. An invitation to Elitloppet is on the line in H.R.H Prince Daniel's Race (V75-6), the Saturday feature.
For Oskar Kylin Blom this is one of the most important V75 cards of the year and a day when he usually is successful.
For the last two years, he has trained a V75 winner at his home track; Kia Ora in 2022 and Denarius last year.
He was close to getting a double victory when Mitzy Gold almost held on from the lead at 15-1.
Winning with longshots on Saturday has become a specialty for Kylin Blom.
21 wins in 220 starts in V75 on Swedish soil is a good record, but not spectacular.
The remarkable thing is the average price of his winners.
The average odds of his winning horses is 13-1, meaning that if you bet SEK 100 to win on all of Kylin Blom's V75 starters, you would be up almost SEK 7,500.
"Sounds like some good numbers, I'm happy with that," says Oskar Kylin Blom.
Do you think your horses are underrated when racing in V75?
"Sometimes. If I enter to V75, it's usually because the horse is in great shape. Many bettors just bet drivers and there are drivers that are more experienced and get bet more".
Do you usually train them to be extra sharp when they come out in a V75 race?
"No, I don't. But if I race on V75, the goal is to have the horse in top form and that it is good enough".
Not even when V75 comes to your hometown track?
"No, my horses will train as usual in the sand this week. But of course, it's a card that I look forward to each year and we have done well. It sits at a good place in the calendar when horses usually get in shape, and I think it feels the same way this year. It's also extra fun to succeed at your home track",
A horse that does not seem to fit that description is 1 Diamant Vendil (V75-3), who comes off three straight starts under saddle and won his seasonal debut easily.
"I kind of just entered him because it's here at home. He had a fractured sesamoid after his last start of last year, hence the long layoff. I was very pleased with his return and I count on him improving immensely with that start in his legs, but I think he needs another start or two before he is in top form".
Why has he been more successful under saddle than in the sulky?
"It's because he leaves so much faster under saddle, but I can't explain why. I have always thought he's a good horse, but he hates getting the stone dust in his face, and it's hard to race him behind horses. In the sulky, he leaves like an old diesel truck and always gets away at the back of the field. The good results in the sulky have come after making a move first up. Under saddle, he can get to the lead and show how good he really is".
Is there anything you can do to get him to leave faster in the sulky?
"I don't know. We have tried all sorts of bridles, but it hasn't made any difference, it just depends on which mood he's in behind the gate. If we can hold up the lead, I will race him there, and that could be interesting, but most likely we will get away slow and sit at the back of the field. If there's an opening for me to get out and sit first up, I'll take it, but he is probably the one with the smallest chance to win, out of my starters".
"Benefits from a fast track"
14 Mitzy Gold (V75-4) was, as mentioned, very close to winning this race last year. It looks tougher this year since she starts with a 20-meter handicap and she comes off a flat effort in her last start.
"She was no good at all in her last start, but I don't think you should focus too much on that effort. The track was very deep that day and she doesn't like that at all. She also got a trip she doesn't like, she needs to be in the lead or get a covered up trip to be effective".
How is her form compared to last year?
"I believe her form is just as good this year. She was great then and she feels just as good in training now. The weather is supposed to be nice all week, so we should have a nice, fast track, she benefits from that a lot. But the race is tough. I have to hope for luck with the trip. Should we be able to move up the inside and get out at a perfect time, she could win. But it's hard to get a trip like that from the post position she has".
4 Tarpon Springs (V75-5) comes off several good efforts but is still winless for his new trainer and he only has one career win.
"He also feels good. My dream is to get to the lead since I feel that he tries much harder when he doesn't have a horse in front of him. The only time he's been in the lead for me was in his first start here. He was no good at all that time, but he wasn't ready for it, after his layoff. Now he's in form and I will do all I can to get him to the lead".
Can he leave faster than he did from the same post position, in his last start?
"I hope so. I tried to leave with him then too, but I saw quickly that we wouldn't get past the inside horse, so I gave up. I don't think we can change anything on the bridle to get him to leave faster, he races with a blind bridle, but maybe I can try to time the gate better. But most of all I hope that he will leave faster if the track is nice and firm, which it wasn't when he last raced. If we end up parked first over, I'll gladly race him there, but it will be tougher to win the race from that position. He can race from behind too, but then he needs an even pace, he doesn't like it when they back off too much".
None of your starters will be among the favorites, who do you think has the best chance to upset?
"Tarpon Springs. Just like Mitzy Gold, he benefits a lot from a nice, firm summer track. A lot will be decided in the start for him, but the horse is in good enough form to win a race soon".
The best chance from the stable on the entire race day comes in a race before V75 starts, in Gäveltravets montépris (race 1) where 10 T.Walls Kastor chases his fourth consecutive win under saddle.
"He crossed the finish line without being used at all, in a tough race at Örebro last time out and showed that he's still in good form. He has been great under saddle and nothing suggests he would be any worse now so, of course I have a lot of faith in him here," says Oskar Kylin Blom.